Clock ticking on All Blacks rugby for Hore
Daniel Gilhooly,
AAP
November 12, 2013, 6:52 am
All Blacks hooker Andrew Hore has dropped a hint that retirement from rugby may not be far away.
The 35-year-old hasn't been offered a Super Rugby contract after captaining the Highlanders this year.
Missing Super Rugby will make him ineligible for selection for New Zealand's home series against England in June.
Hore was initially coy on the subject when asked on Monday about his future next year, saying only that he is planning to play for his Central Otago club Maniatoto.
Speculation that he wants to turn his attention to farming grew in September when All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said the 81-Test veteran was unlikely to feature at the 2015 World Cup.
Last week, long-time hooking colleague Keven Mealamu said he was sad that this tour was shaping as the last together for the pair.
Hore says his passion for top-level rugby remains but indicates he is starting to think about when his 13-year professional career will end.
"I think you want to play top level rugby as long as you can," he said.
"I suppose it's like a drug. All you want to do is play one game for the All Blacks and once you've had a go at it, you want to play every game.
"And if you're lucky enough to call time on it, it's even more special."
The hooker role has been regularly rotated this year, although Hore has made the most starts with six and is likely to run out against England on Saturday.
He didn't play in last year's loss to England after being handed a five-game ban for a king hit on Welsh lock Bradley Davies at Cardiff a week earlier.
Returning to Twickenham, where he made his Test debut in 2002, provided a chance to reflect on his career.
"When you're first in, you're nervous and you are thinking you know a lot about rugby and a lot about yourself," he said.
"Ten years down the track, you realise you were probably too early and you didn't know very much about yourself.
"Then you go away and hopefully make some good decisions in later life."
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